Corporal Timi Preye Fresh, the head of the family, who spoke to journalists in Lagos State, described the agony of receiving conflicting reports on the morning of the incident.
The family of 19-year-old Elizabeth Fresh from Burutu Local Government Area in Delta State has appealed to authorities in Lagos State to urgently arrest a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) driver suspected to have struck and killed their daughter at the Airport Road junction before fleeing the scene.
The plea came after the body of the teenager was deposited at the Nigerian Air Force Base Mortuary earlier on Monday, following the fatal collision that has stirred grief and anger among relatives and onlookers.
Corporal Timi Preye Fresh, the head of the family, who spoke to journalists in Lagos State, described the agony of receiving conflicting reports on the morning of the incident.
“This morning I received one call asking me to come to the Nigerian Air Force Hospital by 11 a.m., then another to the Airport Road junction,” he said through tears.
“When I got to the hospital, I found my daughter’s body in the ambulance — dead.”
Eyewitnesses say Elizabeth was crossing the busy road when a BRT bus allegedly hit her at high speed, dragging her body before the driver fled.
Several bystanders noted that the driver did not stop despite calls from the crowd, a complaint that echoes broader concerns about reckless driving among some Lagos BRT operators.
Commuters and residents have recently decried reckless behaviour among certain BRT drivers on major routes across the city, urging authorities to enforce stricter monitoring and enforcement of road safety rules.
A woman, who ran a small restaurant where Elizabeth worked, said she had sent the deceased to buy vegetables and stock fish at Arena market earlier that day.
“I waited for a long time and when I called, a male answered saying the phone was forgotten in the bus. I later learnt the driver had removed the SIM card,” she said, visibly distressed.
“When I reached the scene, I saw someone lying in a pool of blood. I recognised it as Elizabeth.”
A vulcaniser working nearby said the bus was moving at high speed and did not slow down even as people shouted. “She was just crossing the road… and then it just happened, the bus didn’t stop,” he said.
“This road is dangerous because many people avoid the pedestrian bridge for fear of area boys who hang around up there."
Several passersby and business owners at the scene condemned the driver’s alleged actions, noting this is not the first time a BRT vehicle has been involved in the death of a pedestrian.
They lamented that past incidents have seen drivers escorted by enforcement officials rather than immediately arrested, a practice they say undermines road safety and public trust.
Across Lagos, motorists and road users have increasingly complained about aggressive and reckless driving by some BRT drivers, calling for tougher regulation and better training for operators.
In late 2025, commuters decried the growing recklessness of some BRT drivers who reportedly disregard traffic rules and endanger other road users.
Efforts to reach the Lagos Bus Services/LAMATA’s Bus Services for comment were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
However, the Air Officer Commanding, Logistic Command Air Vice-Marshal Abubakar Suleh, has directed the Air Provost Department to investigate the crash, noting that Elizabeth’s brother is military personnel.
Family members visiting the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) office say they were told officials would visit them within three days with updates on the investigation and efforts to identify and apprehend the driver.
As the investigation continues, Elizabeth’s family and members of the Nigerian Air Force community demand swift action to bring the driver to justice and call on Lagos authorities to address road safety around BRT corridors.